New York Science Journal 2013;6(1) http://www.sciencepub.

net/newyork

Construction Of 2-D Electrical Resistivity Field To Characterize The Subsoil In North-Eastern Part Of
Alimosho Area Of Lagos State, Nigeria.

Oseni S.O*, Adebgola R.B, Ometan O.O and Adeboye D.

Department of Physics, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos Nigeria

*Corresponding Author, email: husseinsaheed@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT: The Baruwa community of Alimosho Local Government area of Lagos State was surveyed to
characterize the subsoil. Results from three (3) 2-D resistivity imaging (tomography) shows a lithologic unit of 3 – 4
geoelctric layers which are clay, clayey sand and coarse sand of resistivity range from 50 -500Ωm with thickness
range of 0.5 – 5m. The 2-D resistivity structure shows the subsurface layers, horizontally and vertically up to a depth
of 5m clearly indicating the areas of low resistivity that may affect agricultural produce and groundwater
development in the study area. It has been shown that geophysical methods are good tools for mapping/imaging
subsoil.
[Oseni S.O, Adebgola R.B, Ometan O.O and Adeboye D. Construction Of 2-D Electrical Resistivity Field To
Characterize The Subsoil In North-Eastern Part Of Alimosho Area Of Lagos State, Nigeria. N Y Sci J
2013;6(1):50-54]. (ISSN: 1554-0200). http://www.sciencepub.net/newyork. 8

Keywords: Subsurface, Resistivity, Geoelectric layer, Tomography.

INTRODUCTION suitable for a particular geological situation. The

For over three decades now the Baruwa
community has being experiencing lack of portable
water owing to the fact that there was a leakage or
perhaps vandalisation of the NNPC pipeline that runs
through a part of the community. The petroleum
industries produce waste products which give rise to
soil contamination from the stages of exploration,
production, refining, storage and distribution
(Badmus et al., 2010).
Leakages from both underground and
surface storage tanks of petroleum products
constitute a notable source of pollution within Lagos
metropolis, (Malomo and Wint, 2003). Therefore, to
have a clearer picture of the subsurface and to map
out the effect of the contamination on the structure of
the subsoil, a 2-D geoelectrical resistivity survey was
conducted. Electrical resistivity imaging has been a
veritable tool in delineating bedrock depression,
fracture, synclinal water accumulation zone and
aquifer layer (Singh et al., 2006,Ayolabi et al., 2008).
However, a range of fast automated multi-electrode
and multi-channel data acquisition systems now exist
that allows flexibility in the acquisition of
geoelectrical resistivity data (Barker, 1981; Stummer
and Maurer, 2001; Auken et al., 2006). The use of
multi-electrode/multi-channel systems for data
acquisition in geoelectrical resistivity surveys has led
to a dramatic increase in field productivity as well as
increased quality and reliability of subsurface
resistivity information obtained (Aizebeokhai, 2010).
A number of arrays have been used in
recording 2D geoelectrical resistivity field data, each
conventional arrays most commonly used include
Wenner, dipole-dipole, pole-pole and pole-dipole.
Most of the pioneering works in 2D geoelectrical
resistivity surveys were carried out using Wenner
array (e.g. Griffiths and Turnbull, 1985; Griffiths et
al., 1990; Oldenburg and Li, 1999; Olayinka and
Yaramanci, 2000).
Geoelectrical imaging surveys are normally
carried out with multi-electrode resistivity system. In
this survey, adopting the Wenner technique, 64
electrodes were deployed in a straight line with
constant spacing and connected to a multicore cable.
A computer-controlled system is then used to select
the active electrodes for each measurement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA
The study area is the pipeline road in
Baruwa community (Figure 1), Alimosho local
government of Lagos state. It lies between latitudes
6"36.12N and longitude 3"16.40E and bounded by
Abesan and Gowon estate. It is drained by Lagos
lagoon, Badagry creek and Lekki lagoon. Local
geology of the area is made up of soil composed of
bedrock, which is mostly sedimentary (alluvial
deposits) while reddish and brown soils were noticed
in the upland. The Local Council is richly blessed
with arable landmass of about 57.621 km2 and rivers
Owa and Oponu, which are suitable for navigation,
fishing and tourism purposes, surround it. The base
map of the area is given below:

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 New York Science Journal 2013;6(1)
Traverse 1
Figure 1: Base map of study area
FIELD TECHNIQUES
A total of three Constant Separation
Traverse (CST) were carried out within the study
area with the electrodes fixed at a separation of 3m
apart in traverses 1and 3, and 2m apart in traverse 2.
A maximum of 64 electrodes were used with the
above spacing giving a total profile length of 113m in
traverse 2 and 172m in traverses 1and 3. ABEM
Terrameter SAS 4000 was used to acquire the ground
resistivity data. The observed field data were used to
produce pseudo sections for each of the traverses that
were used as initial model for the computer iteration
technique via DIPPRO software to produce model
contours.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Electrical Resistivity Tomography with
continuous imaging along a traverse has been proven
to be reliable in depicting the subsurface layers
(Ayolabi et al., 2009). Thus, three (3) 2D traverses
wildly spread out (Figure 1) in the community was
carried out to provide better information of the
subsurface. The 2D data was inverted using DIPPRO
software. The distribution of resistivity along
inverted model resistivity pseudo section showing 3 -
4 geoelectric layers is as shown in figure 2, 3 and 4.
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TRAVERSE 3
Traverse 2
Traverse 1
The first layer designated with blue colour
has resistivity values in the range 50 to 150Ωm. this
undulated from 0 to 2m in depth with varying
thickness between 1 to 3.5m. This layer which is the
topmost layer of low resistivity is composed mainly
of lateritic/clay materials. It is loose and porous and
may possibly be the channel for hydrocarbon
contamination. The second layer has resistivity in the
range of 150 to 300Ωm which is indicated by green
and yellow color. It’s thickness varying from 0.9 to
2.5m except for electrode positions 49 to 63 and 151
to 157 where the thickness extend to 5m.This is
indicative of a very loose structure in this regions and
probably consists of material made of sandy clay.
The third layer is composed of sand, with resistivity
value ranging from 200 to 300Ωm with a thickness of
about 1.5m. The fourth layer having resistivity in the
range 300 to 500Ωm is composed mainly of coarse
sand. It has a thickness of about 3m and could be a
possible aquiferous zone.
Traverse 2
The 2-D resistivity structure shown in
Figure 3 below reveals sediments with resistivity
value ranging from 50Ωm to 500Ωm over a spread of
107m which probed to a depth of 5m. The first layer,
which is the topsoil, has resistivity value in the range
 New York Science Journal 2013;6(1)
120Ωm to 180Ωm. It is dominated by sediments
composed mainly of clayey materials of varying
thickness down the profile. The second layer is
composed of sandy clay with resistivity value in the
range 220Ωm to 325Ωm and depth of about 5m, the
thickness ranges from 0.5 to 2m . The third layer has
resistivity value ranging from 250Ωm to 300Ωm. It is
composed of sand with varying thicknesses up to
1.5m down the profile. The fourth layer has
resistivity in the range of 300 to 500Ωm,it extend to a
depth of 5m having varying thickness down the
profile as well.
Figure 2a, b, and c: 2-D resistivity structure and pseudosection (Field and theoretical data) for traverse 1.
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Traverse 3
The resistivity structure and the
pseudosection shown in Figure 4, represent the third
traverse. It is composed of three geoelectric layers.
The first layer has resistivity values ranging from 100
to 150Ωm; It is composed of clayey sand with
thickness varying between 0.3 and 3m. The second
layer has undulating thickness between 1.5 and 2.5m
down the profile with resistivity values between
200Ωm and 350Ωm. However, at electrode position
91 –120 the thickness extends to 5m.The third
geoelctric layer extends to a depth of 5m with
resistivity values ranging from 350 to 500Ωm
indicative of coarse sand. It has varying thicknesses
down the profile and could probably serve as a good
aquifer.
(a)
 New York Science Journal 2013;6(1) http://www.sciencepub.net/newyork

Figure 3: 2-D resistivity structures and pseudosection (Field and theoretical data) for traverse 2.

Figure 4: 2-D resistivity structures and pseudosection (Field and theoretical data) for traverse 3.

CONCLUSIONS resistivity comprising majorly sand and coarse sand

2D resistivity surveys of Baruwa
community, north-eastern part of Alimosho area of
Lagos state have been conducted. The results shows
that the area has a lithologic units comprising of
probable lateritic clay, clayey sand and coarse sand
respectively. This may justify the reason for very low
agricultural produce in the study area. It is
noteworthy However, that the regions of high
respectively, could probably be an aquiferous zone.
However, a vertical electrical sounding survey or
other geophysical survey may be carried out in the
area to further probe the subsurface (vertically) in an
attempt to establish aquiferrous region that may be
wholesome.

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 New York Science Journal 2013;6(1)
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